


Method of Coping

by AniyuandAnayi (Aniyu_Shadowraven)



Series: Pokemon XY&Z AU Fics [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Alan | Alain mentioned, Character Death Mentioned, Dedicated to Mars2terra and futagogo, Eureka | Bonnie mentioned, Fleur-de-lis | Lysandre mentioned, Gen, Hanako | Delia Ketchum mentioned, NOT Alan though, Puni-chan | Squishy mentioned, as a Christmas Present to those who really liked those two stories, just a little something I wrote to bookend Five Seconds and Shared Between Us
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-20 15:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13149669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aniyu_Shadowraven/pseuds/AniyuandAnayi
Summary: This is just a little Christmas Present I wrote to bookend Shared Between Us and Five Seconds. No action in this one, just some somber and sweet fluff to close out this trio. Dedicated to Mars2terra, who is an absolute sweetheart of a reviewer, and futagogo who gave me one of the most flattering compliments ever: that they liked Five Seconds enough to read it with their little girl.Sometimes, you need to close the world out to cope. Other times, you need to make yourself try to trust again.





	Method of Coping

**Author's Note:**

> -Japanese Names still in use  
> -very much an AU, seeing as I picked a different ending to the one we got in the series  
> -thoughts are Italicized

It could’ve been humorous, how Platane-hakase and, well, everyone else that _wasn’t_ a Pokemon was barred from that one corner of the lab’s enclosure. The keyword there was _‘could’ve’_. But then he’d have to say it was hilarious how Eureka was spirited away by the Blue Core Zygarde because her beloved Puni-chan was having nightmares and wanted its favorite human nearby for a time.

No one had escaped emotional scarring from the Kalos Crisis, not even the primary Legendary involved. And certainly not the ones occupying said corner of the enclosure.

Platane again checked the monitors, sipping at his medication-laced tea almost idly. The tent, an expanded version of the one Satoshi and Citron had shared during the trek through Kalos’ Gym Circuit, sat with the fold down entrance facing slightly away from the camera view. Today, Numelgon and Onvern were nestled to either side of the tent, seemingly lazing around, but the researcher could see how their gazes regularly roamed the area.

It was a mild day then. If Satoshi’s hyper-protective Pokemon were willing to set the gentlest of the team as watch, chances were they’d allow Platane to run a health check on them all. Which was good, because frankly Platane was concerned about them all. Putting the…emotional damage aside, Satoshi’s team had been the most heavily battered out of all those who fought in the Crisis.

_Well, minus…_ **his** _team_ , Platane reflected with a wince, taking a heavier draught of his tea. The late leader of Team Flare’s Pokemon were still in intensive care in an undisclosed Pokemon Center…for their protection. Platane didn’t _think_ Satoshi’s Pokemon would seek them out –the man commanding them was dead after all–, but he could understand Champion Carnet’s concern.

He’d never expected Pikachu and Gekkouga would nearly kill those Pokemon in the first place, after all.

But then, he couldn’t say they weren’t justified in their reaction. Satoshi had nearly died at the hands of the man the opposing Pokemon followed so willingly. Platane knew well if _he’d_ been in Satoshi’s place, even his gentle Gaburias probably would’ve done everything she could to kill them too. The fact that Satoshi managed to force himself back ot consciousness and through his pain long enough to help bring down the Megalith _and save Manon’s Harimaron_ , thus worrying his team even _more_ …

Yeah, he couldn’t hold any of their actions or their methods of coping against them.

…-…-…-…-…

Satoshi was pretty sure he needed to have a talk with his team. Correction, he _knew_ he needed to have a talk with them, but he wasn’t sure where to start.

The fact that they had nearly killed Fleur-de-lis and his Pokemon, that Satoshi had been sure they had killed the man until he showed up at the Megalith? Or that Gekkouga and Pikachu would’ve _murdered_ Alan had Satoshi not intervened? Or maybe that they were keeping everyone but occasionally Platane-hakase from coming within several feet of him?

Then again, maybe it was best to start with the fact that Fiarrow, with Luchabull’s and Gekkouga’s help, kept Satoshi rolled and nested in his sleeping bag and a couple plush comforters Serena had delivered through Tairenar and Nymphia.

“Guys, I think we _really_ need to talk. Any chance you can let me out of this blanket nest?”

…-…-…-…-…

The Pokemon were being stubborn. They knew this. Satoshi knew this. But they also weren’t budging on their position.

He’d been captured because Alan had stood aside and done nothing to help them. He’d been _tortured_ for nearly an hour because Alan _still did nothing_ , wallowing in self-pity and indecision instead of growing a backbone and fighting for what he really believed in. Fleur-de-lis had been a monster lost in his own disgust at the world; they may not have killed him, but they wouldn’t have felt guilty if they had. As it stood, Zygarde had determined the man’s fate; the Legendary could’ve taken a moment to knock Fleur-de-lis away from the Megalith, but had not.

Admittedly, nearly dropping Alan off the top of Prism Tower after Pikachu had _Thunderbolt_ ’ed him and Gekkouga had winded him with an _Aerial Ace_ to the gut…was perhaps a _little_ overboard considering he was technically a victim of Fleur-de-lis’ plot too. But the previous points still stood. Alan had waited until the last minute to take action; there had been _no reason_ to stand there and let Satoshi suffer, even if he was having an existential crisis and wanted answers.

And this whole fiasco had taught them… You could never know what might drive the people you respect to betray you, even unintentionally. Why _wouldn’t_ they keep everyone at a distance?

Of course, communicating this to their trainer was bit of a process –where was Nyarth when you needed him?–. But once they had, finishing with arms crossed and expressions hard, Satoshi had given a soft sigh and a gentle, beseeching look that inwardly made them all squirm like newly-hatched babies caught sneaking extra Berries. It wasn’t a look he used often, mostly because his team this region was remarkably mature and weren’t usually being stubborn over _him_.

Onvern and Numelgon caved to the look instantly. Luchabull and Fiarrow were wavering. But Gekkouga and Pikachu were steadfast, refusing to give in.

At least, until Satoshi took advantage of their weak spots. Scratching gently under Pikachu’s chin reduced the Electric-Type to squeaking happily. Carefully but firmly stroking around the base of Gekkouga’s ears and over his tongue-scarf had the Shinobi-Frog reluctantly going boneless against Satoshi’s side. Both of them gave their trainer half-hearted glares at his tactics, but were at least more amiable to listening to his side of things.

Satoshi didn’t blame Alan. He was a victim just as much as Manon had been. And Satoshi was certain Alan would’ve _never_ worked for Fleur-de-lis if he’d known what the man was really doing with the Mega Evolution Energy. As for Fleur-de-lis, death should never be an _acceptable_ response, even if it becomes a necessary one. Satoshi had doubts that Fleur-de-lis had needed to die, but it was more important to him that none of them were the ones to kill him. It also wasn’t acceptable that they had nearly killed the man’s Pokemon; neither one had harmed Satoshi, had harmed _anyone_ that day, so they didn’t deserve what the team had dished out to them.

And most importantly of all, they shouldn’t distrust everyone just because of what happened during the Kalos Crisis. Losing trust and faith in others, in the world, was apparently what drove Fleur-de-lis off the edge in the first place. Satoshi didn’t want anything similar to happen with this Pokemon, so they had to be stronger than him and give trusting everyone another chance.

It was a little grudgingly on Gekkouga’s and Pikachu’s parts, but the team did agree to their trainer’s stance. Seeing that reluctance made Satoshi give a comforting offer: they could all stay in the tent for one more week, but then they had to face the world again.

Judging by how Gekkouga and Pikachu cuddled in beside him, Satoshi was sure they saw it as a fair compromise. He even let the team bundle him back up in the blanket nest with a laugh.

…-…-…-…-…

When Satoshi and his team broke down the tent and emerged into the main lab a week later, ready to help with the rebuilding process, everyone was relieved. It was a little surprising the group was in great health after being so reclusive, but Satoshi’s explanation of Luchabull and Gekkouga sneaking out to buy fresh food daily and the team taking care of their hygiene needs when everyone else was asleep sated their curiosity.

Things _were_ tense for a couple days as Gekkouga watched Alan sharply anytime he was near Satoshi, and Pikachu charged up full power _Thunderbolt_ s anytime he heard or saw anything unfamiliar. The tension reached its peak when the Zygarde Cores brought Eureka back along with a request for Gekkouga’s help.

Gekkouga had no desire to leave Satoshi and the team, while Eureka didn’t want to leave Puni-chan. But everyone agreed, especially after seeing one of the renegade vines near the outskirts of Miare City, that the Zygarde Cores’ mission was an important one.

Satoshi was the one to offer a couple compromises. He could stay in Kalos until the mission was over so Gekkouga didn’t have to be separated from the team for long periods of time. Or, since the abilities of the Kizuna Genshou just made the mission _easier_ but were _not_ necessary, the Zygarde Cores could talk to Champion Carnet, her Elite Four, and the region’s Gym Leaders to organize sweeps of Kalos until the vines were destroyed. In both cases, Citron and Eureka could check on them regularly so the girl could be assured that Puni-chan was all right.

While the Blue Core, or Z2, clearly preferred the first option, Puni-chan believed the latter option was better for a couple reasons. Firstly, it would allow both of them to learn to work with Humans better, since they knew from the Kalos Crisis that Carnet and all the Gym Leaders were more than trust-worthy. And secondly, it was wrong of them to force Satoshi to put his journey on hold when the power he and Gekkouga held wasn’t absolutely necessary to the mission. The Zygarde Cores could, after all, find the vines on their own with time, it would just go slower without Gekkouga to sense them deep beneath where their Cells could see.

Finally, after what Satoshi and his team had been put through during the Crisis, Puni-chan believed that, for Gekkouga’s emotional health, the Water/Dark-type needed to stay with his trainer. Gekkouga had been pushed far too close to the edge already, and right now the risk of him snapping should anything happen to Satoshi or the rest of his team during a separation was far too high. The Kizuna Genshou had many benefits, but the price for it was that Gekkouga would always need to be at Satoshi’s side, both for his greatest strength and for his happiness. Though, this was a reason the Legendary shared with Satoshi privately, not wanting to worry the others.

Most trainers probably would’ve been concerned with their Pokemon needing such a crutch, or be resistant to being tied that strongly to a Pokemon. Satoshi, however, was not most trainers. He was dedicated to making sure his Pokemon became the absolute best they could be, with or without him. If Gekkouga needed to be with him for, well basically the rest of their lives, in order to be his best, than Satoshi was fine with it.

It just meant that he’d have _two_ partners everywhere he went now. And really, what was the draw back in that?

…-…-… **Omake: Some Time in the Future** …-…-…

Hanako loved her son and all his Pokemon, really, she did. But would it _really_ kill Gekkouga to stop chasing off her baby’s potential love interests? She wanted grand babies –biological or adopted, she wanted Satoshi to be happy with whoever he chose as a spouse after all– to spoil at some point!

END

**Author's Note:**

> -I know some people wanted to see exactly what Gekkouga and Pikachu would do to Fleur-de-lis and Alan. However, every time I tried to write out the scenario, I couldn't get it exactly how I wanted/pictured it. I finally got so frustrated I just couldn't write it at all. So I hope you accept this as a compromise.
> 
> -I chose the ending I did because, based on what I understood of the episode Gekkouga leaves, it didn't seem like Gekkouga actually NEEDED to stay. From what I could see/understand, Puni-chan and Z2 could find the vines on their own, but they wanted Gekkouga's help to make the process go by faster since Gekkouga could apparently sense the vines underground where their Cells couldn't see. Aaaaand on a more personal note, Gekkouga is my favorite Pokemon and I hated that he was released. So, no. No release. Nuh uh.
> 
> -Again, this is dedicated to Mars2terra and futagogo. Hope you guys are okay with fluff, and I really hope this is one you and your daughter will enjoy, futagogo!
> 
> -For those wondering, I AM going to cross-post my fic Re-Turning Fate's Wheel from ffnet this coming year. I'm reworking the opening/first arc though, as my ideas for the direction of the fic have changed.
> 
> -Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and have a great New Year everybody!


End file.
